Golf club head

• US 7,097,572 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: SRI Sports Limited (Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Yabu, Masanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Eugene
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTER, ALVIN A
• Application Number:
  US10/766,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20040185962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 473324-350
• US Class Current: 473/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/02 Joint structures between the head and the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0408 characterised by specific dimensions, e.g. thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0412 Volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0458 with non-uniform thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0462 characterised by tapering thickness of the impact face plate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 53/0466 wood-type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/46 Measurement devices associated with golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like for measuring physical parameters relating to sporting activity, e.g. baseball bats with impact indicators or bracelets for measuring the golf swing

Abstract

A hollow metal club head comprises a face portion whose front surface defines the club face, and a turnback wall extending backward from the circumferential edge of the face portion, wherein a head volume is in a range of not less than 440 cc, a height of the club face is in a range of from 55 to 85 mm, and a surface area of the club face is in a range of from 4000 to 6500 sq. mm. In a front end zone of the turnback wall and a peripheral zone of the face portion which are adjacent to each other through a junction between the turnback wall and the face portion, the ratio Rf/Rh of a zone rigidity Rf=(Ef×tf³) of the peripheral zone to a zone rigidity Rh=(Eh×th³) of the front end zone is in a range of from 4.0 to 12.0.

Claims

1. A hollow metal club head comprising a face portion whose front surface defines a club face for hitting a ball, and a turnback wall extending backward from a circumferential edge of the face portion, wherein

a head volume is in a range of not less than 440 cc, a height of the club face is in a range of from 55 to 85 mm, a surface area of the club face is in a range of from 4000 to 6500 sq.mm, and in a front end zone of the turnback wall and a peripheral zone of the face portion which are adjacent to each other through a junction between the turnback wall and the face portion,

the ratio Rf/Rh of a zone rigidity Rf of the peripheral zone to a zone rigidity Rh of the front end zone is in a range of from 4.0 to 12.0, wherein

Rh=Eh×

th³

Rf=Ef×

tf³

Eh is Young'"'"'s modulus in GPa of the turnback wall in the front end zone,

th is average thickness in mm of the turnback wall in the front end zone,

Ef is Young'"'"'s modulus in GPa of the face portion in the peripheral zone, and

tf is average thickness in mm of the face portion in the peripheral zone.

2. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

a primary frequency of a frequency transfer function of the face portion is in a range of from 650 to 850 HZ.

3. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

the peripheral zone extends continuously along the circumferential edge of the club face.

4. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

the front end zone extends across at least a range (ZR) having a width corresponding to a height (H) of the club face and centered on the centroid (S) of the club face.

5. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

the front end zone extends 10 mm backwards from the front end of the turnback wall, and

the peripheral zone extends between 3 mm and 15 mm from the circumferential edge of the club face towards the centroid of the club face.

6. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

the front end zone extends between 3 mm and 13 mm backward from the circumferential edge of the club face,

the peripheral zone extends between 3 mm and 15 mm from the circumferential edge of the club face towards the centroid of the club face.

7. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

the Young'"'"'s modulus in the peripheral zone is the same as the Young'"'"'s modulus in the front end zone.

8. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

the Young'"'"'s modulus in the peripheral zone is smaller than the Young'"'"'s modulus in the front end zone.

9. The club head according to claim 1, wherein

the face portion is made of a metal material, and in the front end zone, the Young'"'"'s modulus is in a range of from 8.0 to 9.0 GPa and the average thickness th is in a range of from 0.7 to 1.2 mm, and

the turnback wall is made of a metal material, and in the peripheral zone, the Young'"'"'s modulus is in a range of from 6.8 to 7.5 GPa and the average thickness tf is in a range of from 1.6 to 2.2 mm.